"There are too many leaders but not enough leadership, there are a lot of managers and not enough management. There aren’t enough teachers, and aren’t enough teachers in subjects we need. It’s lacking human, material [and] financial resources." He said there were a lot of "wonderful" teachers, but they were hamstrung by over-regulation and a lack on independence.

He’s right – but the State will deny this. It will ignore reality and pursue its ludicrous radical egalitarianism that demands equality of outcome, rather than equality of opportunity.

Did you read that thousands of middle managers in local councils are being authorised to spy on people suspected of petty offences using powers designed to prevent crime and terrorism? Even junior council officials are being allowed to initiate surveillance operations in what privacy campaigners likened to Eastern bloc police tactics.

The Home Office is expected to be urged by the Commons Home Affairs select committee to issue guidelines to councils on the type of operations in which surveillance can be used. Big deal, they’ll still continue to spy on us and invade our privacy! Amid increasing concern in Parliament that the UK is slowly becoming a surveillance society, the committee has looked at the operation of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), which some MPs say is being misused to focus on petty crime rather than serious offending.

Tellingly last year, councils and government departments made 12,494 applications for “directed surveillance”, according to figures released by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner. This was almost double the number for the previous year. Applications from police and other law enforcement agencies fell during the same period, to about 19,000. Councils have admitted using the Act to spy on people committing minor offences such as fly-tipping, failing to pick up dog mess, and littering.

The UK is rapidly turning into a surveillance society, with CCTV’s following your every movement and local council little Hitler’s spying on you in case you fail to pick up dog excrement.

You have to hand it to the Labour government, it may have NO interest in combating crime, fighting terrorism or defending UK sovereignty but when it comes to taking away our free choices, such as the right to smoke, it’s red-hot.

It’s announced today that cigarette vending machines and packets of 10 could be outlawed under government plans. The plans, which include banning branding and logos, apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Similar plans have been unveiled in Scotland. Retailers will also be forced to put cigarettes in locked cabinets and away from the sight of any customer.

I don’t smoke, never have done but I DO defend the right of those who wish to smoke. It’s their choice and I resent Nanny State restricting our choices. It’s to be expected, of course, since BANNING things has been one of the few areas that this socialist administration that runs the UK has proven to be good at.

He is the killer of two children – Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman – and he has tried three times to kill himself. The authorities are keen to avoid another attempt.

I ask, Why?

Officers guarding him have been told by governor David Thompson to treat Huntley – and fellow inmates – as ‘extensions of their family’ and use their first names or address them as ‘Mr’. In addition, 33-year-old Huntley was given a series of privileges within weeks of arriving at Frankland Prison in County Durham – privileges which others would take months of good behaviour to earn. Prisoner JG5778 has been given a private room within the health-care wing of the maximum-security jail. Rather than be forced to wear uniform, he and other inmates are allowed their own choice of designer clothes.

Holly and Jessica were 10 years old when Huntley took their lives. Now he is being given this special treatment and prison officers must show respect towards this piece of filth. He SHOULD, in my view, face execution for his wicked crimes. Even alllowing him to kill himself is inadequate. But the efforts being made to spare his life contrast with his evil taking of the lives of these two innocent children and it disgusts me.

As you know, I have little fondness for John McCain since I consider him a RINO and one that needs put out to pasture. However, I now see a good reason to support him. Susan Sarandon says that if John McCain gets elected, she will move to Italy or Canada. She adds, "It’s a critical time, but I have faith in the American people." I agree and I hope they vote McCain in so that the US loss can be Canada or Italy’s gain. Bye Susan – missing ya already.

32,000 convicted criminals will have been released early from prison in the past year since government’s early release programme. The criminals to have benefited so far include 5,000 violent offenders – convicted of crimes including serious assault – as well as more than 2,300 burglars, 600 robbers and 6,000 thieves. Some are being sent to £250-a-night bed-and-breakfast hotels after being freed.

Today marked the end of the political career of Ian Paisley and it concluded by him giving another interminable speech in the grounds of the King’s Hall in Belfast. He will hand the leadership of the DUP over to Peter Robinson on Saturday. Before the £100 a plate dinner (Yeah, exactly -still money mad) Paisley spoke of his hope that the IRA’s army council would stand down and that policing powers would be devolved. "There has been an amazing turnabout and please God we will see it come to full fruition," he said.

Right – let me spell out what I think about this old fool. He has betrayed every principle that he claimed he stood for. He has sat in power with an alleged multiple murderer in the shape of IRA Godfather Martin McGuinness, he has sold out Unionism for a mess of pottage, in truth he has been the Judas in the Unionist garden. His prize for all of this will be exaltation by the establishment – those who play the government game here prosper, those who don’t are marginalised.

As Paisley exits, I am reminded of the words of Oliver Cromwell when he told the rump parliament….

"You have sat here too long for any good you have been doing lately … Depart, I say; and let us be done with you. In the name of God, go"

You do not defeat terrorism by rewarding terrorists, regardless of how many bleeding heart liberals argue otherwise. Want to know where that flawed approach leads to? Read UNIONISM DECAYED 1997-2007 - It's my first book and it explains what happens when you seeek to appease terrorists and call it peace. It's available right now for ATW readers so make sure you get your copy by emailing the editor! This is the book that dissents from the herd mentality that doing wrong can lead to being right. It doesn't and this book spells out WHY.

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